Every once in a while, you might come across the Southern Poverty Law Center, usually in some MSM report on a so-called hate group. Of late, the SPLC has been the go-to group for the government’s attempt to demonize and then marginalize normal, law-abiding Americans who have some grievance against Washington.

Stacy McCain, who is no stranger to how the SPLC works, has a lengthy and well-done article on the group’s latest report. This one groups such “right-wingers” as Joseph Farah, Michelle Bachmann, Cliff Kincaid, Alex Jones, Andrew Napolitano, Glenn Beck, and Ron Paul into one giant wad of menace called “Patriot” groups. The best part of the article, by far, is this quote from one of the SPLC’s “experts”

“I think our definition of what a ‘Patriot’ group is is very clear. And all these folks, to my mind, fall within that definition,” said [SPLC director of research Heidi] Beirich, a Ph.D. in political science from Purdue University who has been with the SPLC since 1999. “It may not seem that way to you, but from my perspective and given our definition, I’m actually surprised that you would ask me this question. The connections are crystal clear.”

Well, sure. When you get to set all the definitions, then rule out any attempt to question your perspective as denying the blindingly obvious, of course everything’s “crystal clear”. Reasonable, and dare I say empircally-minded people, would disagree strongly, though.